Afterglow 4-Part - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1308086

In early summer 2014 I attended the funeral of Marc Baires, a former student. Always a sad affair, his passing was unusual for me in that it marked the first time I had “witnessed” the illness and eventual passing of a former student via social media. Though heavily involved in music in high school Mark had chosen science as his career path and was a successful scientist at a prominent, local biotech firm. Mark approached his cancer diagnosis with a matter-of-fact, analytical attitude and posted frequent updates about his condition, culminating with a posthumous message from his loved ones.

The prayer card handed out at Marc’s funeral featured the Afterglow poem by Helen Lowry Marshall (1904 - 1975). It moved me greatly, as the message of love and comfort for those left behind was totally consistent with Marc’s generous spirit, something that was confirmed in the eulogies of his colleagues. I decided that I would attempt to set the poem in a treatment that, hopefully, conveyed the intent of Afterglow, and that honored a man who had brought smiles to many with his somewhat goofy personality and his many unselfish deeds.

Musical note
Conductors should try to honor the metronomic markings to create the feeling steady forward motion. The leaps in the main theme should be sung as delicately as possible.